Baptist News Global

Even as others knew of allegations against Pressler, Texas House resolution praised him as ‘man of faith’

Nine years after leaders at First Baptist Church of Houston were told about allegations against Paul Pressler for sexually abusing boys and young men, the Texas House of Representatives passed a lengthy resolution of praise for the Houston judge and…

SBC Executive Committee financials missing from online report for third year, while 2022 audit shows trajectory that is ‘not sustainable’

For the third year running, financial reports from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee are missing from the annual SBC Ministry Reports website. An introductory paragraph to the website says: “The 2024 Ministry Report is the compilation of SBC entity…

Kentucky Supreme Court denies abuse victim’s plea, siding with four SBC entities who were not parties to the case

The Kentucky Supreme Court has sided with four Southern Baptist Convention entities that — among others — sought to deny a sexual abuse victim an extension of the statute of limitations to file a claim against those she believes knew…

Staff member fired from Fuller Seminary explains why she couldn’t sign the statement of faith anymore

Ruth Schmidt considered herself a loyal member of the team at Fuller Seminary — until she was dismissed because she refused to re-sign the school’s statement of faith, which prohibits affirmation of same-sex marriage. When she came to Fuller in…

Ecumenical group gathers at border wall to share Communion and demonstrate unity

An ecumenical network of Caribbean, Latin American and U.S. religious groups expanded its commitment to serving migrants throughout the region during a four-day gathering in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Ruben Ortiz, Latino field ministries coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, served…

A geezer Valentine for Lent

It’s Valentine’s Day, and Ash Wednesday. I’m sitting in the waiting room of my urologist, watching an endless procession of old men come and go. I’m one of them: the brotherhood of enlarged prostates and the thousand other natural shocks…

Southwestern enrollment stable last year but it’s too early to call that a trend

Enrollment at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary stabilized last year, after a 20-year trend of decline. While one year does not make a trend, the increase of eight students in the seminary’s full-time equivalent headcount as measured by the Southern Baptist…

Thinking biblically about government in an election year

I begin by saying the obvious: We enter an election year in a time of great political and cultural division in our country. That could have been said every four years since 1968. But today we also can add that…

‘Bless your heart; you don’t get worship’

Here is a helpful phrase for ministers to think, but not say, “Bless your heart; you don’t get worship.” For instance, when someone says, “I’m making the announcement about the party. I’m using ventriloquist puppets.” A kind minister thinks, “Bless…

Etiquette for whites visiting a Black space for the first time

With Black History Month upon us, some white folks will be moving across typical racial dividing lines and entering into what’s known as Black Space, which I define as a place where Black people are in charge and make up…

Not all Black Americans are highly religious, BJC podcast explains

The assumption that Black Americans are highly religious, and almost universally Christian, overlooks the theological and ideological complexity of the African American community, Anthony Pinn said on the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty’s “Respecting Religion” podcast. But a clearer…

Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Russell Moore

Russell Moore is editor in chief of Christianity Today, the flagship publication for American evangelicals, and author of the book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America. But I’m sure many of you remember him as the former…

Supreme Court slides into partisanship

Before the fireworks, be careful what you drink

The contemptible case of Clarence Thomas

The permanent paradoxes of Christian thinking about war